The Globe and Mail (Canada)
May 31, 2003

Canada aids dismantling of Russian arsenal

By SHAWN McCARTHY
Saturday, May 31, 2003 - Page A15

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA -- Canada will spend $149-million in the next few years to help Russia destroy its vast arsenal of nuclear and chemical weapons, which Prime Minister Jean Chrétien warned could fall into the hands of terrorists.

Canada announced at last year's G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., that it would allocate $1-billion over the next 10 years as part of a $20-billion (U.S.) effort to destroy Russia's weapons of mass destruction.

During his visit to Russia to celebrate the tricentennial of St. Petersburg, Mr. Chrétien announced yesterday the first details of Canada's spending, which will include assistance to decommission three nuclear submarines and help in constructing a chemical weapons destruction site.

In background documents, the Canadian government said Russia's stockpiles of weapons-grade plutonium and chemical weapons require better security, as there have been some incidents of material being stolen and smuggled out of the country.

Mr. Chrétien said the project of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations is necessary to keep the deadly substances out of the hands of terrorists.

"It is one of the ways the G8 is responding to the very dangerous -- and very real -- threat of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Canada will provide $32-million for decommissioning three nuclear submarines, $30-million for a chemical-weapons disposal site, and $65-million for a project aimed at securing 34 tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium.